KNUST; Alumni protest conversion of Katanga hall

Alumni of the University hall, Katanga, in Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology earlier today [Friday] staged a demonstration over attempts by the University’s authorities to convert the all-male hall to a mixed one.

The demonstration started from the Kwame Nkrumah circle and ended at the Education Ministry where they presented a petition to the Ministry of Education.

The demonstrators had placards with inscriptions: “Do not destroy Nkrumah’s legacy”, “The system of intimidation must end”, “Say no to mixed halls”

The authorities say the University cannot pretend to be solving the problem by changing boys halls into mixed halls.

They asked the University immediately consider other alternatives including the construction of new hostels to accommodate female students.

Some students had earlier protested the decisionto convert Katanga Hall and Unity Hall to mixed halls.

‘UG’s Commonwealth Hall to be mixed hall’

In 2010, there was an attempt to convert Commonwealth Hall of the University of Ghana to a mixed hall.

The Hall, which is the only men-only hall at the University had gained notoriety for resistance to many University policies and have openly staged protests against University management.

The attempt to convert the hall to a mixed-sex hall was seen as an attempt to limit the hall’s influence against management.

It came at a time when members of the hall heckled the Chancellor and former UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, and other dignitaries who attended the 2010 Congregation of the University.